Variable valve timing control device

Abstract

A variable valve timing control device includes a housing member, a rotor member assembled to the housing member so as to be rotatable relative thereto and including vane portions each forming an advanced angle chamber and a retarded angle chamber within the housing member, a stopper formed on the convex portion for restricting a relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member, a lock mechanism for restricting the relative rotation by a lock member, and a fluid pressure circuit for controlling an operation oil to be supplied to or discharged from the advanced angle chamber, the retarded angle chamber, and the lock mechanism. When the relative rotation is restricted, the lock member is in contact with an inner peripheral face of the receiving hole on the advanced angle side and the retarded angle side between an opening portion and a bottom portion of the receiving hole.

1. A variable valve timing control device comprising:
 a housing member integrally rotating with one of a crankshaft and a camshaft of an internal combustion engine; 
 a rotor member assembled to the housing member so as to be rotatable relative thereto and being slidable on a convex portion formed on the housing member, the rotor member including vane portions each forming an advanced angle chamber and a retarded angle chamber within the housing member, the rotor member integrally rotating with the other one of the crankshaft and the camshaft; 
 a stopper formed on the convex portion and being in contact with at least one of the vane portions for restricting a relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member to an advanced angle side or a retarded angle side; 
 a lock mechanism for restricting the relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member by a lock member formed on the housing member to be inserted into a receiving hole formed on the rotor member when a relative rotation phase between the housing member and the rotor member is positioned at a predetermined phase; and 
 a fluid pressure circuit for controlling an operation oil to be supplied to or discharged from the advanced angle chamber, the retarded angle chamber, and the lock mechanism; wherein when the relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member is restricted, the lock member is in contact with an inner peripheral face of the receiving hole on the advanced angle side and the retarded angle side between an opening portion and a bottom portion of the receiving hole. 
 
   
   
     2. A variable valve timing control device according  claim 1 , wherein when the relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member is restricted, a contact width in a circumferential direction of a contact portion of the lock member, with which the inner peripheral face of the receiving hole on the advanced angle side and the retarded angle side is in contact, is larger than a bottom width in the circumferential direction of the bottom portion of the receiving hole. 
   
   
     3. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 2 , wherein when the relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member is restricted, a gap is formed between the stopper and the vane portion. 
   
   
     4. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 3 , wherein the lock member includes a head portion facing the bottom portion of the receiving hole and having a trapezoidal shape in cross section formed by a convex taper portion extending in a radially inward direction of the housing member and a top portion including a contact portion with which the inner peripheral face of the receiving hole is in contact. 
   
   
     5. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 4 , wherein the inner peripheral face of the receiving hole includes a concave taper portion having a trapezoidal shape in cross section and gradually expanding towards an opening portion of the receiving hole. 
   
   
     6. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 2 , wherein an advanced angle side face provided in a retarded angle direction on the inner peripheral face of the receiving hole and a retarded angle side face provided in an advanced angle direction of the inner peripheral face of the receiving hole form a first predetermined tapered angle and a second predetermined tapered angle respectively relative to each line in parallel with a radial direction of the rotor member, and one of the first predetermined tapered angle and the second predetermined tapered angle is larger than the other one of the first predetermined tapered angle and the second predetermined tapered angle. 
   
   
     7. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 6 , wherein one of the first predetermined tapered angle and the second predetermined tapered angle of the advanced angle side face or the retarded angle side face provided in an opposite direction to a direction in which the relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member is permitted by the lock mechanism being released is larger than the other one of the first predetermined tapered angle and the second predetermined tapered angle. 
   
   
     8. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 7 , wherein when the relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member is restricted and the lock member is positioned within the receiving hole, one of the advanced angle side face and the retarded angle side face of the receiving hole is in contact with a facing side face of the lock member. 
   
   
     9. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 8 , wherein one of the advanced angle side face and the retarded angle side face provided in a direction in which the relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member is permitted by the lock mechanism being released is in contact with a facing side face of the lock member. 
   
   
     10. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 1 , wherein when the relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member is restricted, a gap is formed between the stopper and the vane portion. 
   
   
     11. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 10 , wherein the lock member includes a head portion facing the bottom portion of the receiving hole and having a trapezoidal shape in cross section formed by a convex taper portion extending in a radially inward direction of the housing member and a top portion including a contact portion with which the inner peripheral face of the receiving hole is in contact. 
   
   
     12. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 11 , wherein the inner peripheral face of the receiving hole includes a concave taper portion having a trapezoidal shape in cross section and gradually expanding towards the opening portion of the receiving hole. 
   
   
     13. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 12 , wherein the contact portion of the head portion of the lock member and the concave taper portion of the inner peripheral face of the receiving hole are in contact with each other on the advanced angle side and the retarded angle side when the relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member is restricted. 
   
   
     14. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 1 , wherein an advanced angle side face provided in a retarded angle direction on the inner peripheral face of the receiving hole and a retarded angle side face provided in an advanced angle direction on the inner peripheral face of the receiving hole form a first predetermined tapered angle and a second predetermined tapered angle respectively relative to each line in parallel with a radial direction of the rotor member, and one of the first predetermined tapered angle and the second predetermined tapered angle is larger than the other one of the first predetermined tapered angle and the second predetermined tapered angle. 
   
   
     15. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 14 , wherein one of the first predetermined tapered angle and the second predetermined tapered angle of the advanced angle side face or the retarded angle side face provided in an opposite direction to a direction in which the relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member is permitted by the lock mechanism being released is larger than the other one of the first predetermined tapered angle and the second predetermined tapered angle. 
   
   
     16. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 15 , wherein when the relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member is restricted and the lock member is positioned within the receiving hole, one of the advanced angle side face and the retarded angle side face of the receiving hole is in contact with a facing side face of the lock member. 
   
   
     17. A variable valve timing control device according to  claim 16 , wherein one of the advanced angle side face and the retarded angle side face provided in a direction in which the relative rotation between the housing member and the rotor member is permitted by the lock mechanism being released is in contact with a facing side face of the lock member.